[El Gato]

Definitely grateful to have grown up in the 60s and 70s

50s was better. The peak of the baby boom was still in school, or not yet in school, Woodstock hadn't happened yet, nor had the Vietnam war, or even Camelot. Ike was President for most of the decade. The Air Force alone brought the F-84, F-86, F-90, F-100, F-101, F-102, F-104, F-105 and F-106 into the inventory. The Navy also put a lot of airplanes onto a lot of carriers. Now we are lucky to get one fighter between them per decade or decade and a half. We had lots more companies building them too. Lockheed, Convair, North American, McDonnell, Fairchild, Republic

Things were different then. In FY 1962 the DoD spent 9.3% of GDP while only 6.1% was spent on entitlements and 18.8% by the Federal Government overall. In 2007 those were 4.0%, 11.9% and 20.0% respectively. I shudder to think what the FY2009 and FY2010 figures will look like.

[El Gato]

The Air Force alone brought the F-84, F-86, F-90, F-100, F-101, F-102, F-104, F-105 and F-106 into the inventory.

I'm told I left at least a couple of pre century series AF aircraft off that list, by one who flew them.

I left off the f-94 and f-89.

Thanks Don Corleone.